The organization recently announced its finalists and honorees for the awards. With the exception of the Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement Award, winners in each category will be revealed at the luncheon on Friday, Oct. 27 from 11 am. to 3 p.m. at PGA National Resort & Spa. This year’s luncheon will feature National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry as special guest and keynote speaker.

The Eleanor Fletcher Lifetime Achievement award, named for the founder of LMC, recognizes an individual who has exemplified a lifelong commitment to ocean conservation through his or her work or volunteer activities. This year’s recipient is Ted Turner, chairman and founder of the Turner Foundation.

Honorees include Wallace J. Nichols of Blue Mind Life, James A. “Buddy” Powell of Sea to Shore Alliance and John Reynolds of Mote Marine Laboratory.

The finalists for The Blue Ambassador of the Year Award, which recognizes a person who has made significant contributions in ocean conservation in South Florida through volunteer-related activities, includes Linda Cabot of Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Program, Jolyn Landrie of Waterway Clean up Project and Carl Stearns of Loggerhead Marinelife Center and Friends of Jupiter Beach.

The Blue Friend of the Year Award recognizes a person who has made significant contributions in ocean conservation through work-related activities. Finalists for this category are Teal Kawana of Miami-Dade County Sea Turtle Conservation Program, Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza of Ocean First Institute, Jeff Pantukhoff of The Whaleman Foundation, Dr. Ken Simmons of Healthy Aquatics Marine Institute and Richard Wallesky, the former director of Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management.

The Blue Hatchling Youth Awardrecognizes a person under the age of 17 who has made significant contributions in marine conservation through volunteer-related activities. Finalists are Sophie Allen of Junior Friend of MacArthur Beach State Park, Skylar Mandell of Florida Sea Turtle Company, Shelby O’Neil of Junior Ocean Guardians, Olivia and Carter Ries of One More Generation, Madison Toonder of Stanford University Online High School and Melati and Isabel Wijsen of Bye Bye Plastic Bags.

Lastly, The Blue Business of the Year Award recognizes a business or nonprofit that has made outstanding contributions toward promoting and encouraging conservation, restoration or preservation of marine life and/or marine ecosystems through their business practices, products or technology. Engel Coolers, MG Surfline, The Scuba Club and Women of the Wild are finalists.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s Ninth Annual Go Blue Awards Luncheon is one of Florida’s premier ocean conservation awards event, judged by an independent panel of conservation experts. The organization recently announced its finalists and honorees for the awards

Finalists Named For Loggerhead Marinelife Center’s Go Blue Awards

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